16 years ago today, Rocky and I went on our first date.
Sure, we could have tossed our “dating anniversary” by the wayside when we said “I do” but with that would be the disposal of celebrating 9 years together before we said our vows. We weren’t the traditional couple that spent a year together before putting a ring on it. We took our time. Who really knows why… it just happened that way.
16 years ago was the first time we spent time together away from work. He had talked to me more and more for the weeks leading up to this date, but it was the first time he took a chance on this Longhorn from Texas and the first time I took a chance on someone and something in Arkansas that might last longer than a few months.
It certainly worked out.
It’s hard for me to remember exactly who we were back then. So much has happened since then. I was fresh out of college, new to Arkansas, and had a lot of opinions about what a relationship should be. I certainly didn’t have plans to stay in Arkansas for more than a year (I thought I was on my way to Toronto a year later for grad school).
I do know who we are now, though.
And who we are now is something quite incredible. We’ve weathered losing parents, moving to the west coast, bad jobs, new jobs, buying a house in a crazy housing market, meaningful relationship growth, COVID related job loss, and now we face an uncertain road map for our future but we know it’s one that will find us hand in hand.
16 years ago, I found my adventure partner, concert buddy, the person that makes me laugh when I’m blue, my biggest cheerleader, the person who takes my side when complaining about someone I had a run in with, my best friend… I found the love of my life.
I’m beyond thankful we wandered into each other’s lives back in 2004.
I’m beyond thankful we’re still in this together today.
Here’s to 16 years!
IdyllHands 
Congratulations!!!!! My husband and I were together for a long time before we got married too. Happy Anniversary to you both.
Thank you!!! I wouldn’t have it any other way. It gave us time to grow and change quite a bit before we said “I do” and I know that has contributed to where we are in life right now.
Congratulations, Erin. Well done!
I wish I could take the credit… but I’ll admit, Rocky did a lot of the work to get us to 16 years!
First of all, Happy 16th Anniversary! What a journey you’ve shared and what a tribute to the love and resilience you have now. Your story brings joy to my heart and I thank you for sharing it. I trust you will experience many more eventful chapters and wish you the very best in the years to come.
Now, if it’s not too intrusive, may I ask what’s for dessert? Savoring the sweet life!
On a side note, Jim and I also knew each other almost 10 years before we married. Still going strong.
Thank you! I hope dessert is finding joy and adventure each day for the rest of our lives. We’ve worked so hard to make each day something special – even the most mundane of days. We didn’t always do that and it’s what has made our recent time together even better than I could have imagined. But to simply answer your question, probably some homemade cookies or a box mix brownie – LOL.
Perhaps the secret ingredient to our relationships is that time we spent together before getting hitched – it seems to have worked out well for so many of us.